Garage Winterization Checklist From Precision Door
The garage door is one of the most important features of the home. It offers a high level of protection to the building. Unfortunately, harsh weather conditions during the colder seasons can take a toll on the materials. This causes them to suffer from wear and tear. Precision Door recommends a few tips to ensure your feature will hold up well through the fall and winter seasons.
Perform an Inspection on the Door and Tracks
One of the most important steps to take is to examine the door and tracks before the harsh weather arrives. Test it out to ensure it operates correctly and doesn’t lag or slow down as it’s operating. The track should be clear and should allow the garage door to move smoothly without any interruptions or resistance. If you notice anything unusual, you’ll need to contact a professional technician to inspect the parts and diagnose the problem to ensure the necessary San Luis Obispo garage door repair is performed.
Lubricate All the Parts
You can also lubricate some of the parts to prevent premature wear from developing as the parts rub against each other. Proper lubrication can increase the lifespan of the components and make everything operate a lot smoother. Read the owner’s manual to get insight into what type of lubricant is recommended on the parts.
Some of the main components that need to be lubricated include the rollers, springs, and hinges. Avoid lubricating the bearings, which can remove some of the greases that are already present. It’s easy to quickly lubricate the parts on the garage door. Just wipe everything clean of any dirt or residue that has accumulated first. The lubricant you use should be specific to garage doors to ensure it works correctly. Use a different clean cloth to wipe off the excess lubricant. You don’t want it to drip all over the ground and make a mess.
Prevent the Garage Door From Hibernating
Many homeowners make the mistake of allowing the garage door to hibernate during the fall and winter seasons as they spend more time indoors. It’s important to continue to use the feature throughout the week. This helps to ensure the parts can operate smoothly and don’t get stuck. Check that all parts continue to respond well to avoid repairs when you need to use the Precision door again.
Install Additional Garage Door Insulation
The large size of your Precision garage door can allow a lot of drafts to be present and for cold air to transfer through into the garage and your home. This can significantly increase your energy levels and also affect the quality of the door. Install insulation to reduce the risk of door issues that can occur due to moisture that develops. The door can become heavier if the moisture accumulates. This puts excess strain and stress on the parts in the door.
There are a variety of garage door kits that are available that you can use to install yourself. The kits make use of rigid foam board panels, which have a high R-value ranging from three to six. The panels can be cut to size to ensure they have a perfect fit and stay secure over time.
You can also consider installing new Southern California garage doors if your current door is old and isn’t holding up well. Newer doors come with insulation built into the materials.
Install a Heater
Garage heaters work extremely well in keeping the chill away in the garage to prevent the low temperatures from causing wear and damage to the garage door. This is a great feature to use with the new insulation you add to your garage door. The heaters cost an average of $400 to $800 and may even come with a ventilation kit.
Fortunately, garage heaters are fairly easy to install if you have experience with the task. However, it’s safer to hire a professional to perform the task, especially if you don’t have the necessary tools and equipment.
You’ll need to measure the size of the garage before selecting what type of heater to purchase to ensure it can adequately heat the environment.
Add New Weatherstripping
New weatherstripping is essential to install on your garage door to prevent cold air from transferring into the building. This will keep the weather elements outside of the building to prevent the freezing temperatures from causing damage to the San Luis Obispo garage door. Closely inspect the material to look for any spots where damage may be present. Look for spots where cracks or tears are present. These won’t allow you to have the protection your door needs to survive the cold seasons out of the year. New weatherstripping also needs to be installed on spots where it may be missing or on areas that are hardened due to heat exposure.
The bottom of the garage door is the most important spot to check for secure weatherstripping. This will ensure the garage door has a good seal every time you close the garage door. Any spots where excess damage or wear is present require the entire material to be removed and reinstalled.
Fortunately, it’s fairly easy to take off old weatherstripping. You’ll need to use a putty knife to scrape it off cleanly without damaging any of the surrounding materials. Removing all of the material is necessary to ensure the new weatherstripping is securely installed.
Look at the Ventilation
It can be easy to forget how much the ventilation that is present in the garage has an impact on the door, but it can actually reduce garage door repair Santa Maria you may need in the future. Proper ventilation prevents excess moisture from accumulating and is necessary to prolong the lifespan of the materials.
Remove Snow
It’s important to immediately remove any snow that is present around the garage door, which can cause it to freeze or melt as the outside temperatures fluctuate. A snowblower is a great tool to use because it will quickly melt the snow without having to do any shoveling or heavy lifting. Try to remove snow a few minutes after it appears. This assists in preventing the freezing temperatures and moisture from warping or causing damage to your garage door.
You can also remove any icicles that form on the roof directly above the garage door, which can fall off and have contact with the door.
Inspect Photo Eye Sensors of Your Precision Door
Examine all photo eye sensors to ensure there isn’t any snow that is covering up the sensors, which will prevent them from operating correctly. Snow and other debris should be cleared to prevent damage to the parts, which can cause them to become ineffective and will lead to expensive repairs.
If you don’t have enough ventilation present, consider installing a ventilation fan that is specifically made for garage doors. Not only will it keep everything dry in the fall and winter seasons, but it will also prevent exhaust fumes from entering the house when the car is running.
